Sure, James Dean was as handsome as they come, but that's not what made him one of the great photogenic personalities in the history of the medium. It was his mystique -- that intangible something that some people in the biz call the "it" factor -- and his unique combination of swagger and vulnerability that made him such an incredible photographic subject.

Today, James Dean's birthday, we take a look at some of Dennis Stock's iconic portraiture of Dean, taken in a variety of locations, from Dean's hometown in Indiana to the streets of New York, where his career began to blossom.

Magnum Photos is a photographic cooperative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer members. With powerful individual vision, Magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities.